Eiffel Tower- In Search of the Perfect Photo

Wandering the Seine River in Paris is a photographer’s dream. Besides the Eiffel Tower, there are wonderful views of the bridges. Follow the river in the direction of the Eiffel to be rewarded with many photographic opportunities which, of course, include the Eiffel Tower. Pick a direction and allow a couple of hours to just “be in the moment” and see where it takes you! As for me, I was in search of the perfect photo of the Eiffel Tower but found many treasures!

In My Little Corner of Paris I walked the neighborhood around my apartment. This walk is just an extension of that. After I looped around my neighborhood, I wandered down boulevard Saint-Germain to the Seine River and to Quai d’Orsay heading in the direction of the Eiffel.

This building, Ministère des Armées, with its intricate door and war memorial engraved in the stone on is adjacent wall caught my attention first. Location: 266 Blvd Saint-Germain.

Then at #270, this building caught my eye.

Pont Alexandre III

Pont Alexandre III was my first planned photo op on my way to the Eiffel. Did you know that there are 37 bridges that cross the 13km of the Seine as it travels through Paris? Pont Alexandre III, which dates from 1900, is my favorite for photographs as there are sooooo many details but Pont Bir Hakeim (20th century) is beautiful at night and also has great views of the Eiffel Tower.

This view includes the Petit Palais in the background.

Purchase a print

While waiting on the street light to safely cross the street I  photographed one of the four pillars that bookend the bridge. The fact that the Eiffel Tower photobombed the picture was an added plus!

On the other side of the bridge, the focal point is more on those delightful Art Nouveau cherubs.

Holy Trinity Cathedral

Ever mindful of the Eiffel Tower on my left as I walked, this view of Holy Trinity Cathedral with the cloud reflections on the gold domes caught my eye.

Pont d’Alma

Thinking of this bridge in Paris always makes me a bit sad. Princess Diana died here, 1997,  in the tunnel under the bridge. The bridge itself is a massive traffic way but I wanted to cross to the other side of the Seine because of the Flame of Liberty.

Many wrongly mistake this as a memorial to Diana but the Flame of Liberty is a life-size replica of the flame for the Statue of Liberty. Made of gilded copper on a marble base, it is impressive! On the base of the monument it reads: “The Flame of Liberty. An exact replica of the Statue of Liberty’s flame offered to the people of France by donors throughout the world as a symbol of the Franco-American friendship. On the occasion of the centennial of the International Herald Tribune. Paris 1887–1987.”

When Eugène Viollet-le-Duc unexpectedly died, Gustave Eiffel was brought in to finish the Statue of Liberty project. To have a replica of part of the Statue together with Gustave’s other creation the Eiffel Tower in one photo is memorable.

Avenue de New York

Crossing the Seine at Pont d’Alma changed the route briefly to Voie Georges Pompidou which at the bend in the river changes to Avenue de New York. You can easily arrive at this point in the walk via metro if all you want is photos of the Eiffel Tower. Just take Metro line 9 to the Alma-Marceau stop.

Passerelle Debilly is seen on the far right with the high arch structure. It is one of the 37 bridges that cross the Seine and it also happens to be a footbridge.

Place Trocadero

My goal was to reach Place Trocadero when the sun was low in the sky. With the sun to my back, the views of the Eiffel Tower promised to be lovely. Climbing the steps to Place Trocadero disappointment momentarily washed over me when I saw that the reflecting pool drained and empty. None-the-less, the cherry trees were in full bloom so I couldn’t be too disappointed! I stopped midway up the steps to snap a photo and catch my breath!

Buy a print here

A throng of tourists soaked up the sun at the top, enjoying this wonderful view. As you can tell, it wasn’t hard to work my way around the crowd and get an unobstructed view.

After just enjoying the view for a bit, I went in search of Benjamin Franklin.

Ben Franklin and the Trocadero Gardens

Walking to the rear of the two buildings, Musée Nationale de la Marine and Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, which more or less curve around Place Trocadero, I turned left to find the statue of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin lived in Paris for more than 7 years in this neighborhood. He served as the first ambassador of the US to a foreign country here in France beginning in 1778.

Following the sidewalk around the building, I turned left on to rue le Tasse. There I discovered that the Trocadero Gardens wrapped all the way to the back of this building. Walking down into the gardens, the noise of Paris fell away. Only birdsong and the peaceful sound of a small pond with a running water feature surrounded me.

At the end of rue le Tasse once again the Eiffel Tower awaited me. I love the way the sun gave it a golden appearance!

Thanks for following my photo journey. If you choose to buy a print or other item with one of my photos on it, a double thanks!